So, I have started my EU exit application with the new app. I paid my £62.50, called the number provided to understand what was needed, I am self employed, a tax payer and have been in this country in and off since 1989. I moved here again in 2014.
I called on the 21st of January to understand which documents were needed to apply for the "simple" settled status and the lady answering said that my DC going to school here did not prove my residence ( it proves only that DC was here) and that I had to file documentation that proved the length of time I have been here, something official. I asked whether a letter from my surgery would be enough and, after consulting with her supervisor she said yes. So, I paid to my local surgery a further £20 for a document stating that I have been registered from 1992 to now.
Application filed and nothing happens ( apart from a waiver of the application fees which I have already paid).
I have called the centre and they now say that a letter from the surgery is not preferred documentation and that I have to file in more documents ( which I have) but I cannot file them in until I receive a request from the case worker but we do not know when the case worker will look into it and what he/she will think because it is all at his/ her discretion.
I am now terrified that I will be rejected and that I will have to pay even more money to try to fight my case.
Some friends of mine did go through a lawyer spending around £3000 to get through it but frankly I am not in the position to cough up so much at the moment.
Should I start a parallel application for my DC and seek her through this?
I can only prove school days it would not give a settled status ( which I should get) but I am getting so so worried that we will not be granted to stay .
Advice please